Mandela received military training in Algeria

In his autobiography “The Long Walk to Freedom,” Mandela admits that he was inspired by the Algerian revolution, which he said was the closest to South Africa’s at the time, writing “the Algerian rebels had to face a big colony of white men who were governing the majority of the population.”

Since 1965, Algeria has hosted many fighters from the African National Congress, who received military training before returning to South Africa to execute military operations.

Following Mandela’s death, Algerian President Abdul Aziz Boutefliqa ordered that the Algerian flags be flown at half-mast for 8 days in honor and respect “of this glorious African personality.”

Boutefliqa called Mandela “the loyal friend of Algeria.”

Algeria was the first country Mandela visited after his widely celebrated release from prison in Feb. 1990 as a symbolic gesture showing appreciation for Algeria’s support to the people of South Africa during its struggle against the apartheid.